How powerful is Israel’s military?
As Israel carries out the most intense bombardment of Gaza since the war began, the size and power of its armed forces are in the spotlight.
Despite having a population of only 9.3 million people, Israel operates one of the most powerful militaries in the world.
In 2023, Israel ranked 18th in Global Firepower’s annual military strength ranking, putting it ahead of much bigger nations including Saudi Arabia, Germany and Spain.
Israel’s military spending came to $23.4bn last year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), making it the world’s biggest per capita spender on defence after Qatar.
Israel’s armed forces include 169,500 active military personnel and 465,000 reserve soldiers.
Those troops are backed by an extensive array of military hardware, including more than 2,200 tanks, 339 combat aircraft, 43 Apache attack helicopters, and five submarines.
Israel’s military prowess rests in part on the backing of its staunch ally, the United States, which sees the country’s military strength as key to stability in the Middle East.
In total, Washington has provided Israel with more than $124bn in military aid since 1946, according to the US Congressional Research Service.
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